In the North Atlantic, wild capture fisheries are longstanding and deeply rooted activities, governed by well-established regulatory frameworks. These are shaped by global agreements and implemented through relatively cohesive, quantitative management systems across the region. The sector benefits from clear governance structures, coordinated data streams, robust scientific cooperation, and well-organized stakeholder networks—factors that together underpin a mature and effective science-policy interface essential for sustainable fisheries management.
In contrast, aquaculture in the region, while growing in importance, is characterized by more fragmented governance. As a national competency, approaches to aquaculture development and regulation vary widely, and the systematic exchange of best practices is limited. The EU has taken important steps to support the sustainable growth of the sector, notably through the Strategic Guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture. These guidelines urge Member States to define and monitor environmental performance using appropriate indicators, while promoting the alignment of aquaculture with EU environmental, social, and economic objectives.
However, key questions remain: What constitutes a “best practice”? How much monitoring is sufficient? What do the data mean? And who determines what qualifies as “good” environmental performance?
As the demand for responsibly produced aquatic foods continues to rise, aquaculture must meet complex and often competing sustainability goals. Addressing these challenges requires more than localized decision-making—it demands coordinated, science-based approaches grounded in transparency, accountability, and collective learning.
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has a long-standing role in providing independent, consensus-based scientific advice to national governments, regional fisheries bodies, and the European Union—primarily in the context of wild capture fisheries. Today, ICES is also advancing work on aquaculture as part of its broader commitment to the Ecosystem Approach. This includes enhancing understanding of marine ecosystems and the services they provide and using this knowledge to develop advice that supports conservation, management, and sustainability across sectors.
This presentation will showcase two successful case studies where independent scientific advice contributed to management outcomes in the Northeast Atlantic—one in commercial fisheries and one in Atlantic salmon aquaculture. It will conclude with a discussion on how similar science-policy collaboration could support sustainable marine aquaculture in EU Member States, particularly through the identification and application of relevant environmental, social, and economic indicators through the sharing of best practices and independent scientific advice. Such efforts can improve the tractability, transparency, and effectiveness of aquaculture governance and help translate policy ambitions into measurable outcomes.
1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:236:FIN